Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

deep fried catfish bites with a kickback sauce

(1 rating)
Recipe by
Andy Anderson !
Wichita, KS

I love good catfish, and these have just the right amount of flavor in the coating so that they don’t overpower the taste of the fish. Add to that a kickback dipping sauce, and you have all the ingredients for a great meal. You can even use the leftover batter to make hushpuppies. So, you ready… Let’s get into the kitchen.

(1 rating)
yield 4 -6
prep time 20 Min
cook time 20 Min
method Deep Fry

Ingredients For deep fried catfish bites with a kickback sauce

  • DIPPING SAUCE
  • 1/2 c
    mayonnaise
  • 2 Tbsp
    spicy brown mustard
  • 1 Tbsp
    fresh lime juice
  • 1 Tbsp
    fresh honey
  • 1 tsp
    brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1/2 tsp
    mustard powder
  • 1/2 tsp
    worcestershire sauce
  • hot sauce, to taste (i like frank’s)
  • salt, kosher variety, to taste
  • THE CATFISH
  • 1 c
    flour, all purpose variety
  • 1 c
    yellow cornmeal
  • 1 Tbsp
    baking powder
  • 2 tsp
    salt, kosher variety, or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp
    cayenne pepper
  • 12 oz
    amber beer
  • 24 oz
    catfish fillets
  • 1 Tbsp
    black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
  • 1 tsp
    garlic powder
  • tsp
    ground paprika/dill or both (optional)
  • peanut oil, my favorite oil for deep-frying.
  • lemon wedges (for serving)

How To Make deep fried catfish bites with a kickback sauce

  • 1
    DIPPING SAUCE
  • 2
    Gather your ingredients.
  • 3
    Add the mayonnaise, brown mustard, lime juice, honey, brown sugar, mustard powder, and Worcestershire sauce in a medium bowl.
  • 4
    Whisk to combine.
  • 5
    Season with hot sauce and salt to your own particular tastes.
  • 6
    Mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
  • 7
    Cover, and reserve.
  • 8
    Chef’s Note: If you have the time, allow the dipping sauce to sit for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight. This will help give the ingredients a chance to know each other.
  • 9
    THE CATFISH
  • 10
    Gather your ingredients.
  • 11
    Cut the catfish into bite-sized pieces, and reserve.
  • 12
    Add the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, 1 teaspoon of salt and the cayenne pepper to a large bowl.
  • 13
    Whisk to combine.
  • 14
    Chef’s Note: Adjust the salt to your own tastes, or leave it out altogether.
  • 15
    Add the beer.
  • 16
    Whisk until there are no lumps and the mixture is completely smooth.
  • 17
    Chef’s Tip: If you have any left over beer, you should drink it down. We don’t want anything wasted.
  • 18
    Chef's Note: If the batter is still a bit thick, add some water to thin it down.
  • 19
    Mix the remaining 1-teaspoon of salt with the pepper, garlic powder, and paprika and/or dill, if using.
  • 20
    Use this to lightly season the fish on both sides.
  • 21
    Chef’s Note: You will probably have more of the salt/pepper/garlic mixture than what you need. Discard any that’s left.
  • 22
    Preheat your oil to 350f (176c).
  • 23
    Chef’s Tip: If you have a deep fryer, most are preset to this temperature. If you are using a pot, then use a thermometer to keep the temperature as close to 350f (176c) as possible.
  • 24
    Dip a piece of catfish into the batter and then carefully place into the hot oil.
  • 25
    Chef’s Tip: Place several pieces into the oil, but don’t overcrowd.
  • 26
    Keep the catfish moving in the oil so that they don’t stick.
  • 27
    Fry until the catfish bites are nice and brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  • 28
    Place the cooked catfish on a paper towel, and repeat for the remaining catfish.
  • 29
    Chef’s Tip: To keep the catfish warm, you might want to place them on a paper-towel lined baking sheet. Preset the oven to 200f (94c), and keep them in there until ready to serve.
  • 30
    Chef’s Note: If you have any batter left over, and you probably will, drizzle it into the hot oil, and make some crunchies, put them in the plate and lay the catfish on top. I think some people like the crunchies more than the catfish.
  • 31
    To serve, add to a serving plate, with the dipping sauce on the side. Add a few lemon wedges, and there you go. Enjoy.
  • 32
    Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
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